Just ordered a Ghille Kettle....

desmobob

desmobob

Joined
May 5, 2003
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I've been intrigued by these things and the price has kept me away. My mom just gave me some money for my birthday and I always spend it on "fun" stuff, so I came up with a big enough order from Ben's Backwoods to get the free shipping deal! :D

After a lot of considering, I decided on the smallest one (.5 liter "Maverick"). I usually hike and hunt alone, so it should be sufficient.

I'm thinking the Ghille Kettle will be easier and simpler than the Swedish Mess kit w/alcohol stove or Coleman Peak 1 stove I would normally carry to make some coffee and soup, etc.

I can make up a pot holder for the top out of some aluminum stock I have in the workshop and see how it works for more serious meal preparation.... it may become my new camping cookstove.

Does anyone who uses one cook over the chimney? I'd like to hear how practical it is.

Thanks for any information,
desmobob
 
The guy who runs survivaltopics.com uses one, and talks it up quite a bit. You may want to check out the web site, the artical on the kettle is under survival gear, near the middle of the page. He calls his a Kelly Kettle, but it looks like the same thing.
 
I use one, i have the small Kelly Kettle. I run it off newspaper, kindling, dried leaves, twigs (or a can of marine stove alcohol when i dont want to be spotted (smoke/smoke odor). It boils water very fast. As for cooking up top, it is VERY tippy, i would not use anything larger than a 1 cup pot , unless your cookig on a SOLID and STABLE surface like a picnic table.

thumbnail pics (crappy cell phone pic) of it running on marine stove alcohol - it roars like a jet!
 
Last edited:
chewbacca said:
The guy who runs survivaltopics.com uses one, and talks it up quite a bit. You may want to check out the web site, the artical on the kettle is under survival gear, near the middle of the page. He calls his a Kelly Kettle, but it looks like the same thing.
Click to expand...

Thanks chewbacca,

I actually stumbled across that page in my researching the kettles. The Ghille Kettle has one "improvement" over the Kelly Kettle: in place of the Kelly Kettle's cork stopper, the Ghille Kettle uses a cover/whistle.

The Kelly Kettle's cork has to be removed for use (or dangerous pressure can build up). Bugs, etc., can get into the kettle. The Ghille Kettle's cover keeps unwanted stuff out, and whistles like a tea kettle to let you know it's boiling. Other than that, I believe they are identical.

Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
Bushman5 said:
I use one, i have the small Kelly Kettle. I run it off newspaper, kindling, dried leaves, twigs (or a can of marine stove alcohol when i dont want to be spotted (smoke/smoke odor). It boils water very fast. As for cooking up top, it is VERY tippy, i would not use anything larger than a 1 cup pot , unless your cookig on a SOLID and STABLE surface like a picnic table.

thumbnail pics (crappy cell phone pic) of it running on marine stove alcohol - it roars like a jet!
Click to expand...

Holy cow! It LOOKS like a jet!

So I guess it would work fine with a soda can alcohol stove in the base? That's a plus....

Thanks for sharing the photos, Bushman5. I can't wait to get it!

Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
It's similar in principle to the rocket stove -- I'd like to get one with a more stable design, so you could cook on top while your water boiled. Might have to design that myself....
 
give me a few hours, i'll film a video in HD with the Kelly kettle , from initial firing to water boiling....
 
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